The Western Hockey League is set to kick off its 2022-23 campaign on Friday night. And with a new year comes new expectations, hopes and projections.
Based on last year’s results, combined with roster and personnel changes, the Canadian Hockey League has put together its Top-10 list of power rankings heading into the 2022-23 season, which features four WHL clubs, including two in its Top-3 and three in its Top-5.
The Winnipeg ICE – which spent countless weeks atop the rankings last season – have entered 2022-23 as the team to beat in the preseason. The CHL has ranked Winnipeg as the No. 1 club, to which it will look to defend its WHL-best record from last season as the page turns to a new year of hockey.
CHL 2022-23 Power Rankings:
1. Winnipeg ICE
2. Quebec Remparts
3. Seattle Thunderbirds
4. Guelph Storm
5. Kamloops Blazers
6. Gatineau Olympiques
7. Flint Firebirds
8. Mississauga Steelheads
9. Sherbrooke Phoenix
10. Moose Jaw Warriors
From the CHL:
“The rankings were selected with input from NHL Central Scouting and come prior to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League opening the 2022-23 CHL regular season Thursday and the Western Hockey League beginning action September 23. The 2022-23 Ontario Hockey League regular season begins September 29.
Summer draftees highlight the top-ranked Winnipeg ICE where the dynamic duo of Conor Geekie (Arizona Coyotes) and Matthew Savoie (Buffalo Sabres) prove to be a dynamic one-two punch. Finishing last season atop the WHL with more than 300 goals, the two lead an offensive juggernaut in the Manitoba capital that also counts budding talents like 17-year-old centre Zach Benson, a top talent for the 2023 NHL Draft class whose terrific freshman season saw him finish sixth in scoring among WHL rookies.”
The ICE open the season on the road against their provincial rival Brandon Wheat Kings on Saturday, where the reigning champions of the past two seasons will kick the year off at Keystone Centre in a 7:00 PM weekend matchup in Game 1 of 10 between the two clubs this season.
.png)